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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26862508">Turning Point</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scyllas_revenge/pseuds/Scyllas_revenge'>Scyllas_revenge</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Author had a change of heart, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Severus Snape Bashing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 18:09:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,775</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26862508</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scyllas_revenge/pseuds/Scyllas_revenge</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A short blurb about the tragedy of Snape's past because I felt like hating on James Potter- originally written in 2011. I wrote the second chapter almost a decade later because I grew up, got wise, and felt like hating Snape instead.</p><p>Reposted from FFN.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James Potter/Lily Evans Potter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>25</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Severus Snape hadn't talked to Lily in almost a week. She had been avoiding him constantly, ever since he had called her a...</p><p>He couldn't even think about it now. The word pounded through his brain until he was clenching his teeth and shaking, hands in fists. What had he been thinking? Just because she was a...not that she was one, but just because she had parents that were...Severus rested his forehead in his hand. He couldn't think anymore.</p><p>He had tried to apologize to Lily immediately afterward, but she hadn't accepted it. She hated him. Hated him! All because he was spending too much time around-</p><p>"Oy, Snape!"</p><p>Severus turned around from his chair in the common room. Mulciber stood by the fireplace; despite the warm weather and crackling fire, he was wearing long sleeves. Severus knew perfectly well why. "What?" he grunted.</p><p>"You've been staring at the wall for hours. What's gotten into you?" Mulciber asked carelessly. Severus shrugged in response. He was already teased enough for spending time with Lily; he didn't want to talk about the recent goings-on between them. "Well, anyway," Mulciber added, approaching Severus's chair, "There's going to be a little, ah...meeting...tonight. At the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Avery's going too. And he says Bellatrix Lestrange is sneaking in. She's got some spells to teach us, he said. And more to tell us about-" his voice sank to a whisper- "the Dark Lord's plans." Severus's eyes widened. "You coming?"</p><p>Severus was quiet for a while. As always, he was fascinated by these meetings; the followers of the Dark Lord held a certain appeal, an intrigue, that both frightened and called out to him. But..."You've chosen your way; I've chosen mine." Lily's words haunted him. This was what was drawing them apart.</p><p>"Well?" asked Mulciber.</p><p>"Sorry. I'll have to pass," Severus said mechanically. He stood up, and, to Mulciber's surprise, strode out of the common room as quickly as possible.</p><p>He needed to talk to Lily. Immediately. He would apologize, again and again, until she forgave him and gave him a second chance. He would prove himself to her. His face set in grim determination, Severus climbed the stairs to the Gryffindor common room, planning to wait for her there.</p><p>A word was shouted at the top of the stairs; suddenly Severus was flying headlong down the stairs and crashed against the wall. Ears ringing, he leapt to his feet in shock, greasy hair falling into his eyes, and drew his wand-</p><p>Another shouted word, and he was soaring into the air with a yell and landed heavily in a sprawl. He lay still for a moment, head spinning, blood trickling from his nose onto his face. Finally his head cleared enough for him to see his attacker.</p><p>"Long time no see, Snivellus," James Potter sneered, walking down from the Gryffindor portrait hole. "I'd never got a chance to finish teaching you your lesson the other day at the lake." His eyes were furious. "I think you get the picture now. You ever call her that word again, and you'll be sorry!"</p><p>Severus didn't move. Fury and pain were coursing through him so strongly he had to force himself not to attempt an Unforgiveable Curse.</p><p>"Potter? Is that you? I heard screaming-" Lily stopped short outside the portrait hole. She looked with shock at Potter standing over a bleeding, bruised Severus, both with drawn wands. She determinedly avoided Severus's gaze. "Potter, that's enough! He's not worth it." Glaring at Potter, she stormed back into the portrait hole. Still sneering, Potter kicked at Severus and followed her.</p><p>Severus was left alone in the hallway, blood still seeping from his nose. He didn't notice it.</p><p>He was numb. He closed his eyes. She hadn't even looked at him. Hadn't even glared at him.</p><p>Nothing.</p><p> </p><p>Mulciber, Lestrange, Avery, Crabbe, and several others were gathered around in a clearing just inside the forest. "Is everyone here?" asked Bellatrix regally.</p><p>"Yes- wait, do you hear that?" Avery's voice dropped to a whisper as the sound of footsteps approached. They raised their wands in the direction of the noise.</p><p>Then, "It's me!" came a whisper. Severus Snape came out of the trees, looking coldly eager. "I'm sorry I'm late."</p><p>"You made it after all," Mulciber said with surprise. Severus stepped into place in the circle.</p><p>"Yes...I'm here."</p><p>Lily Evans would never look at him again.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Dear Mum and Dad,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I can't wait to see you for the holidays- just a few more weeks to go! I'm quite busy with my exams, but I should still have time to do some Christmas shopping. Don't worry, I won't bring home any more biting teacups, not after The Incident over the summer-</em>
</p><p>"Aw, come on, Evans, do you have to send them a letter by <em>owl?</em>" James loped up to the breakfast table and rested his chin on Lily's head. "You know, they installed one of those pay telephone things in Hogsmeade last month, and I've been dying to try it out. Wormtail's got five sickles on Padfoot that it won't work, the idiot. Why don't you just talk to them with that?"</p><p>"Oh, get off me," she laughed, shooing him off with her quill, though secretly quite thrilled at his closeness. "And no, I'll write instead. My parents love getting letters by owl, they think it's fun. Believe me, it'll make their day."</p><p>"Really? How can <em>owl post </em>be more fun than a calling box that lets you talk to them just like <em>that?</em>" James snapped his fingers jauntily in Lily's face to emphasize his point. He plopped himself down next to her and threw an arm around her shoulders.</p><p>Lily felt herself flush. They'd been dating for a full week now, and she wasn't sure she'd ever get used to this level of familiarity. Planting a kiss on his cheek, she shook her head. "Well, they're used to telephones, you know. Probably think they're quite boring. Owl post, on the other hand..." Lily trailed off, suddenly uneasy.</p><p>"Your parents really use telephones all the time, then?" James said incredulously, reaching for a goblet of pumpkin juice.</p><p>An old, familiar hurt prickled across her skin. Folding her arms across her chest protectively, she snapped, "Yes, they do. Is there something <em>wrong</em> with that?"</p><p>James raised an eyebrow. "Course not. What are you on about?"</p><p>"Nothing," she muttered sourly, grabbing a pastry from her plate and looking away. A silent moment passed between them.</p><p>"That danish do something to offend you, Evans?" James asked idly, and Lily realized she was ripping the pastry into vicious chunks. "Come on, now. What is it? Did I say something wrong? I didn't mean to, you know."</p><p>"I just...There's nothing wrong with using a telephone, alright?" she said heatedly, her fists clenching on what was left of the danish. "Don't you dare make fun of them, just because they're muggles, they..." Her voice trailed off as James, more gently than she would have expected, took her shaking fists in his hands.</p><p>"Hey now," he said, stroking the back of her hand with his thumb. "I wasn't making fun of your parents! I'd never do that, Lily, you know I wouldn't. I'm sorry I upset you, but I was just excited about that new call box thing in Hogsmeade, really."</p><p>"Oh." Embarrassment flooded Lily's skin. Slowly, she dropped the bits of pastry back onto her plate and let him entwine his fingers through hers. "I just thought..."</p><p>"I don't care if they're muggles, Evans," James said, shaking his head as though the idea was ridiculous—and it was, Lily supposed. "You don't really think something like that would bother me, right? Your parents are great."</p><p>The earnestness in his voice made her choke up. "I know," she murmured. "I didn't mean...it's just, I used to have to be...careful, talking about my parents." She didn't want to say more, but luckily she didn't have to. James' hands clenched angrily in hers, and he turned a furious eye on the Slytherin table across the hall. Lily didn't follow his gaze. She swore to herself that she would never look at <em>him </em>again.</p><p>"That right bastard," James growled. "You say the word, Evans, and I'll hex him."</p><p>"I've told you before, he's not worth it."</p><p>"I know. You're right. I just..." He shook his head. "I'll never think less of you or your parents, got it? You talk about them as much as you want, whenever you want to!"</p><p>She nodded, feeling tears burning in her eyes, and they turned back to their breakfast.</p><p> </p><p>Later that morning, Lily nearly ran head-first into James on the winding steps of the Owlery, her letter to her parents clutched tight in her hand.</p><p>"Easy there, Evans!" James greeted her with a swift kiss, making her flush. "I have a lot to do today, and falling down the steps isn't on my list."</p><p>"What were you doing in the Owlery?" she asked.</p><p>"Oh, just sending a letter."</p><p>"To whom?"</p><p>It was his turn to flush. "Well, I mean...I'd meant it to be a surprise—"</p><p>"Go on! "Lily whacked him on the arm.</p><p>He ran a hand through his hair, the ends sticking up wildly. "You mentioned how much your parents like getting owl post, so I thought I'd send them a letter."</p><p>"Really?"</p><p>"It wasn't much, just a quick hello," he began, but was cut off as Lily threw her arms around him. It was just so sweet of him, so unexpectedly <em>kind, </em>and when compared to <em>other </em><em>people, </em>who had, at best, pretended her parents hadn't existed at all...</p><p>"They'll love it," she said earnestly, giving James' shoulders a squeeze.</p><p>"I still want to try that telephone box thing in Hogsmeade, you know," James said, waiting as Lily tied her letter to an owl's leg. "What do you say?"</p><p>She rolled her eyes fondly. "Oh, fine. It's not all that exciting though, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. Maybe..." she added, twining her fingers through his, "you could learn to use a home telephone instead."</p><p>"And where would I do that?"</p><p>"At my parents' place, over the holidays," she said casually.</p><p>He beamed at her. "Evans, are you inviting me over for Christmas?" At a nod from her, his grin widened. "Course I'll go," he said eagerly. "Oh, I'll have to find some gifts for your parents. What would they think is the most fun? Chocolate frogs? A set of exploding snap? Maybe a biting teacup—"</p><p>"Merlin, no," she laughed, her hand warm in his. "Anything but a biting teacup."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So I really never thought I'd come back to this story. I wrote it very quickly ages ago, more as a writing/thought exercise than anything. So why did I update it? Well, in the fifty million years since I wrote this little James Potter-hating blurb of a story, I kind of...grew up. My opinions of these characters have changed, and I felt that I couldn't leave things where I did.</p><p>My original idea with this story was to look into the tragedy of Snape's descent, as well as comment on the ways in which bullying (in this case from James) could have pushed Snape even further towards prejudice and cruelty. I still stand by the original fic, but...when I was younger, I don't think I fully grasped just how flawed a person Snape was. There's still tragedy in his story, but I want to add another perspective to this Snape-vs-James-Potter dynamic and give Lily more of a voice in the matter. So I did.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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